Invalid-supporter



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Z ToJE U J mam m c L Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

S. J. RHOADS.

INVALID SUPPORTBR.

(No Model.)

at L

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. J. RHOADS.

INVALID SUPPORTER.

No. 483,657. Patented Oct-4, 1892.

h 4, ma ma-71? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON J. RI-IOADS, OF METROPOLIS, ILLINOIS.

INVALID-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,657, dated October 4, 1892.

Application filed April 19 1892- Serial No. 429,724. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SOLOMON J. Rrronns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Metropolis, in the county of Massac and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in devices for supporting and transporting invalids; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts of which it is composed, whereby an invalid may be raised from a cot or bed, receive the desired attention, and carried from place to place without inconveniencing the person, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention, in which- Figure 1 represents a rear view of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view, part sectional, having the fingers removed. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the slide-bar D.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the base of the device, which is supported upon caster-wheels a a a a, whereby the supporter may be moved about at will. Above this base A is a platform B, and the same is connected to the base by transverse rods 17 I), having angular ends 0 c, which latter are pivoted in bearings 61 d on the upper surface of the base A, and the transverse rods b are likewise pivoted to the under side of the platform. Said rod 19 is provided with a lever 6, extending at right angles to said transverse rod for a purpose presently explained.

On the top of the base and on either side thereof are interposed between the platform and base two springs f f, that are designed to assist the lifting of the platform when the device is operated.

0 represents a hollow or tubular standard secured at its lower end to the top of the platform, and near the rear thereof the same inclines rearwardly and upwardly and is braced on either side by inclined bracing-rods g g, and to this standard is secured a bar or handle it, which serves to draw or force the machine in moving it. Within this tubular or hollow standard is a broad slide-bar D,

which has its play therein and which can be raised or lowered, as may be desired. This slide is provided on its rear with a toothed or rack bar 2', which is engaged by a pawl j, pivoted at 70 at its lower end to the platform, said pawl having a foot-lever Z, whereby the pawl may be disengaged from the rack by the foot of the operator. The sliding bar aforesaid is bent at its upper end, forming a hook, the extreme end m of which is bent upwardly into a broad hook at, which receives and supports the jointed arm E of the bearing portion. This bearing portion consists of the arms a a a, which are pivotedto one another, forming a jointed bearing device, and near each joint are springcatches 0, which engage perforations 19 in the semicircular arms 2) p, which are secured to each of the outer arms a ct as at 19 and near the pivotal connection 19 0f said arms, whereby when the arms are adjusted they are held in position. One of these arms is bent at right angles to the bar, as at q, to form a footrest for the invalid. Upon these jointed bars are attached broad fingers or bearing-plates F, upon which the invalid rests when upon the device. These plates or fingers are bent at right angles, as at r, having hooked ends .9, which grasp the top of the arms, and are thereby held in their proper places.

Upon the platform is a removable coverF', serving as a part of said platform, and is held in place by the projecting lugs 25, which engage the inner edge of the platform proper, and upon the hooked upper end of the sliding bar is a sliding catch a, that serves to lock the j ointcd arms to said bar.

Thus it will be seen by the foregoing description and by reference to the annexed drawings that when it is desired to move an invalid the device is operated as follows: The platform is caused to lay close to the base, the angular portionsof the transverse pivoted bars being in a horizontal position and the fingers are slid beneath the invalid, and the arms, being jointed, are caused to conform to the position of the person. At the same time the sliding bar is adjusted to the proper height to permit the fingers to glide easily under the invalid, and is held in position by the footpawl and rack aforesaid, after which the lever e is thrust forward and held in position by the operator, thus raising the platform with its standard and bearingfingers and invalid thereon, the angular ends of the transverse rods assuming a vertical position, thereby supporting the platform and all above it. The springs interposed between said platform and base assist in raising the former, and by the adjustment of the various parts of the device the invalid can be raised from a bed in exactly the position he occupied on the bed, and can, by means of the jointed arms being adjusted to difierent positions desired, be

-- moved from place to place; and for performin g ablutions it will be found to be an excellent device, as an oiled cloth can be placed beneath the fingers and waste water carried to a receptacle without wetting the, room or floor, and.

form, and transverse rods having pivoted angular ends, and a hand-lever and spring interposed between said platform and base, the hollowstandard having the brace-bars,the sliding bar having the rack, the pawl engaging said rack and foot-lever secured to the pawl, the supporting device composed of the jointed arms and fingers, and a-catch-plate for holding the bearing-arms to the sliding bar, all substantially as described.

2. The within-described invalid-supporter, consisting of the base mounted on casterwheels and a platform connected to the base by thetransverse rods pivoted both to the base and platform, having a hand-lever, the hollow standard, and sliding bar, the rack and pawl, the jointed bars carrying the fingers, and the sliding catch for said bars,- all as shown and described. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SOLOMON J. RHOADS,

Witnesses:

J. D. DAVISSON, THOMAS H. CLAYTON. 

